Mouthpiece for clarinets.



PATENTED APR. 11, 1905. F. STARK.

MOUTHPIBCE FOR GLARINETS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.18, 1905.

UNITED STATES Patented April 11, 1905.

FRIEDRICH STARKE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

NIOUTHPIECE FOR CLAFUNETSu SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,127', dated April 11, 1905. Application filed January 18,1905. Serial No. 241,605.

To "f7/Z wle/017i it 771/04/ cm1/cern,.-

Be it known that I, FRTEDRIoi-r S'rnnxn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illithe same time will not be disagreeable to the player; and to this end my device consists, primarily, of an inner metal portion A, which is partially embedded in or jacketed by hardnois, haveinvented certain new and useful Imrubber jacket B, so as to expose as little as 55 provements in Mouthpieces for Clarinets; and possible of the metal, which is generally very I do hereby declare the following to be a full, disagreeable to the taste. The said inner clear, and exact description of the invention, metal portion A comprises a tube B, which is such as will enable others skilled in the art to externally threaded at its inner end, as at C, which it appertains to make and use the same. and is provided at its lower side with a lon- 60 My invention relates to a novel construcgitudinally-disposed portion D, the latter betion in a mouthpiece for clarincts or similar ing tapered and of less width at its rear end musical instruments, the object being to prothan at its forward end. At its other end vide a device of this character which is not said tube Bl is laterally contracted, as at E, affected by atmospheric conditions or variaand adjacent said contracted portion the up- 65 tions in temperature to warp the same; and per wall thereof is disposed at an angle and it consists in the features of construction and extends at a downward incline to meet the combinations of parts hereinafter fully deforward end of said portion D, as indicated scribed and claimed. at F, the lower portion of said wall F be- In the accompanyingdrawings, illustrating1 ing thicker and the side walls thereof being 7C my invention, Figure l is a side elevation of likewise thickened, as at J, to form a suba mouthpiece constructed in accordance with stantially peripheral shoulder H, extending myinvention. Fig. Qisa central verticallonaround said tube and flush with the lower gitudinal section thereof on the line 2 2 of face of said projection D. The extreme end Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of same. of said tube is curved, as at J, and said curved 75 Fig. 4 is a plan view of the reed adapted to portion forms one wall of the opening into be secured over said mouthpiece. Fig. 5 is a which the blast passes into the instrument, plan section of same on the line 5 5 of Fig. l. said opening K being substantially wedge- Fig. 6 is an end elevation of same. Fig. 7 is shaped and the sides thereofl extending at a a transverse section of same on the line 7 7 slightlygreater angle than the sides of said 8O of Fig. 3. projection D, so that the outer walls of said The mouthpieces for clarinets and similar opening K are thicker toward the rear end musical instruments are made generally either than at the forward end of said opening, the of wood or hard rubber, more generally the latter terminating substantially midway belatter. Such mouthpieces are very delicate tween the ends of said projection D. The S5 and readily affected by atmospheric condisaid jacket B is preferably made of hard rubtions, and particularly heat,whichlatter serves ber and is provided with a recess conforming to slightly warp the same, and in so doing the in shape with the tube B', said jacket being opening between the reed and the opening in of a length equal to the distance between said the mouthpiece is widened, thus seriously afshoulder H and the other end of said projec- 90 fecting the vibrations of the reed and sometimes entirely preventing the same, so that it is impossible for the musician to play there- This is particularly true in hot weather,

the warping of such mouthpieces.

The object of my present invention is to tion D. The slot in the upper wall of said jacket B conforms in shape and the walls thereof in thickness with the projection D, so that when said jacket B is sprung on said tube it jacket is tapered and thicker at its rear than at its forward end, as indicated at L, and is held in place on said tube B by means of a on. and clarinet-players are frequently compelled will iit closely against the sides of said pro- 95 to give up all attempts to play by reason of jection D and against said shoulder H. Said provide a mouthpiece which will not be affect- I ed by atmospheric conditions, but which at T00 suitable cement and, further, by means of a O in the usual manner,

hard rubber sleeve M, threaded and mounted upon the threaded inner end of said tube B, the said sleeve M bearing at one end against said jacket B and forcing same at itsforward end against said shoulder H. The reed N is secured in place on said mouthpiece by means ot' threads and my said mouthpiece is used in exactly the same manner as the old style, but is superior' thereto by reason of its indifference to atmospheric conditions or other inconveniences which affect the old mouthpiece. The said tube B is preferably made of solid silver, as this metal appears to produce better sound than any other; but any other suitable metal may obviously be substituted for said silver.

I claim as my invention-- 1. A mouthpiece for clarinets or the like, comprising a metallic core member consisting of a tube deflected at one end and provided in its lower wall at said deflected end with an opening, a longitudinally-disposed projection on said lower wall of said tube through which said opening` extends and which terminates which is internally adjacent the other end ofsaid tube, and a jacket of hard rubber or the like embracing said tube on each side of said projection.

2. A mouthpiece for clarinets and the like, comprising' a tube externally threaded at one end, the other end thereofl having its upper wall deflected downwardly at an incline, alongitudinally-disposed rib or projection on the lower wall of said tube extending' from said deflected end to a point adjacent the other end thereof, there being an opening in said tube extending through said projection opposite the tapered upper wall of said tube, a jacket of hard rubber or the like embracing said tube and abutting against the sides of said projection, and a threaded sleeve of like material disposed on the threaded end ol" said tube and bearing against one end of said jacket to hold the latter in place.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRIEDRICH STARKE.

l/Vitnesses:

RUDOLPH W'M. Lo'rz, F. SoHLo'rFELD. 

